• Who we are

    Right, here is a little verbatim to get you thinking.

    The scene is a concert given by a famous jazz musician a few weeks ago in an American cathedral. I’ve been nudged to the front to sit with the bigwigs. As we sit waiting for the music, I hear this conversation going on somewhere behind me.

    Person 1: Wow, isn’t this space amazing. I never knew it was so beautiful.

    Person 2: I know, I’ve never been in here before either.

    Person 1: What is it anyway? What kind of church?

    Person 2: It is the Episcopals

    Person 1: Well, it is really special, the building and all. Which ones are the Episcopals again? Are they the ones that have divorce?

    Person 2: Yes, they do. And women priests. They’ve got one here!

    Person 1: Really? Wow! All this, and divorce and women priests. Maybe I should give them a try…

    Now, how does that exchange make you feel? Does it lift the soul or not?  Can you flesh out your feelings with some further thoughts?

5 responses to “Back to School”

  1. william Avatar
    william

    I note your reference to “in straight lines ” when you were at Bearsden PS.
    Were you not taught about tautologies in these former days, when education would have been more content based than you would have found on your recent visit?

  2. Kelvin Holdsworth Avatar

    Er, yes I was and no, it isn’t.

  3. PamB Avatar
    PamB

    Ah yes, the staffroom etiquette. I’ve done the cup thing, the chair thing, and, possibly worst faux-pas of all, the crossword thing in my time. Nowadays there are no staff rooms, just bases, a whole new minefield of unwelcoming stares.

  4. Jaye Richards-Hill Avatar

    Sorry to hear about the torrid time in P7 you had with the belting teacher…as a teacher myself, I’m not in favour of such tactics. I find a cold silent stare always used to work better than any cane or belt…such activities should be reserved for consenting adults only ;-/

    1. kelvin Avatar

      Thanks Jaye.

      The same teacher spent a quarter of each day on religious instruction and was, as I said, quite mad.

      One one occasion I was belted for humming. On another, simply, I suspect for being me.

      There are probably those reading this who have some sympathy with her.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Previous Posts

  • Dogs and Cats

    I had to explain to a couple of the younger servers a fortnight ago why I am more welcoming to dogs at divine worship than cats. At the time I illustrated this with a story about a priest that I knew whose dog acted as a server at the mass – patiently sitting on one…

  • Church Times Adverts

    Two adverts in the Church Times have caught my eye. Both from the Diocese of Moray, Ross and Caithness.Firstly, this: THE HIGHLANDS OF SCOTLANDA rare opportunity for NSM/Retired PriestHouse for DutyRectory adjacent to church set in idyllic location, o­nly10 minutes from Inverness.The views are some of the finest in Scotland.Secondly this: DIOCESE OF MORAY, ROSS…

  • Fuel Protests

    These fuel protesters seem able to get the government to say whatever they like. It cannot be good for the country in the long run to have taxation decided by lorry drivers and the “countryside” lobby.

  • Vocation

    I remember when I was going through a rather long selection procedure for the priesthood a question coming up about photocopiers. I had been asked about what priests do and had given some reply about the priest standing at the altar week by week and being an icon of God's love. Or something. The rather…